Date: October 7, 2019
Location: Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield, CA 

The Big Takeaway — 

WWE went almost the entire show without acknowledging the Seth Rollins vs. Bray Wyatt match at Hell in a Cell. Near the end of the show, they aired a video package and quickly moved on. Neither guy was on the show, and they gave no update on their conditions. Becky Lynch was on the show and was never asked about Rollins either (obviously). 

This was mostly a nothing show sitting between the PPV and Friday’s draft. There was a big angle involving Tyson Fury and Braun Strowman where they got into a pull-apart brawl in the main event. 

Outside of that, Lana appears happy with Bobby Lashley, and Kairi Sane pinned Lynch in a non-title tag match. 

Show Recap — 

Raw began with a recap of the Rusev, Lana and Bobby Lashley angle from last week, not last night’s Hell in a Cell. 

After the video intro, Randy Orton and Baron Corbin were putting the boots to Rusev. Rusev fought them off, then Lashley’s big face appeared on the big screen. Lashley wore a robe and told Rusev it was his robe. Lashley said if it was Rusev’s robe, it must be Rusev’s house and bedroom. Lashley stepped in his bed, then Lana appeared. 

Lana got in bed as romantic music started playing somehow. Lana said everything that was Rusev’s now belongs to her and they no longer have joint bank accounts. Lashley said Rusev shouldn’t have been sending money back home to Bulgaria. Lana, under the covers, took off her bra, then Lashley turned off the lights. 

Orton and Corbin laughed at Rusev, who appeared somewhat upset. Rusev then got mad and went after Corbin and Orton. He launched Corbin into the steps and gave Orton a fallaway slam into the barricade. He tossed them around some more before handing out superkicks to both men. The crowd chanted for Rusev. 

The announcers ran down tonight’s card. With one segment in the books, they have yet to mention Bray Wyatt or Seth Rollins (aside from Rollins appearing in the Rusev video package). 

Last Woman Standing Match: Natalya defeated Lacey Evans (17:10) 

Evans cut a promo before the match comparing Natalya to garbage. She also had a trash can made up with Natalya’s name on it in pink lettering. It’s good she thought enough to use pink. One of the announcers said this might be the last time you see these two wrestle with the draft coming up, which is exactly what they said last week. 

Natalya was in control until Evans just kicked her in the gut and yanked her down, which somehow caused Natalya to stay down for a nine-count. Evans drove her into the barricade, then went for a table, but changed her mind. Natalya barely got to her feet for a third time less than five minutes into the match, then Evans tossed her into the steps and they went to break. 

Evans tossed Natalya into a leather chair, and before she could get up, Evans attacked her with a Kendo stick. Natalya got up at nine again, then Evans shoved her into the post for another nine-count. Evans trapped Natalya in a chair and booted her, then continued to attack with the Kendo stick. Natalya fought back for a moment before Evans booted her into the barricade. 

Natalya barely got to her feet again at nine, but Evans gave her a neckbreaker on the outside. Evans hit her with the trash can, then hit a moonsault off the barricade (which didn’t look good, partially because Natalya stood there for too long waiting for her to do the move). 

Natalya wouldn’t stay down, so Evans gave her a suplex on the ramp, then launched her into the big video board and the announce table. Natalya got up at nine again, then Evans gave her a vertical suplex on the announce table, which didn’t break. Natalya got up at nine again, then blocked a suplex and handed out a suplex of her own. 

Natalya then powerbombed Evans off the stage through a table as Jerry Lawler screamed at her not to do it. Evans couldn’t get up at ten, so Natalya got the win. Natalya, who appeared near death like ten times during the match, hopped on the announce table to smile and pose for the crowd. Lawler did a good job selling the finish. 

Short recap: Evans beat the crap out of Natalya for about 14 straight minutes before Natalya just caught her at the end with the powerbomb. 

Aleister Black cut a promo in a room. Black said Raw was a place for competition and battle, something he is desperately seeking. He wants someone to pick a fight with him again. 

The Street Profits talked about the draft and said each brand would have separate rosters. They did short scouting reports on Apollo Crews, Buddy Murphy and Drake Maverick, which led them to talk about Maverick’s personal life. They spoke about Tyson Fury and Braun Strowman, which led to a replay of what happened on Smackdown. 

Charly Caruso interviewed Fury backstage. He was mostly booed. Fury said he wasn’t trying to provoke Strowman and admitted that maybe he shouldn’t have jumped the barricade, which led to him getting escorted from the building. However, he wasn’t going anywhere tonight and wanted an apology from Strowman, or else he would get these hands. 

Still no mention of the Hell in a Cell Universal Championship main event. 

The Viking Raiders defeated Tag Team Champions Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode in a non-title match (16:34) 

A few minutes into the match, Erik caught Roode with a knee to the chin, which seemed to knock him out. Instead of going for a cover, Erik just yelled in Roode’s face. Ziggler pulled Roode out of the ring to regroup, but instead of making a tag, Roode kept wrestling and Erik sent him to the outside again and they went to break. What a strange sequence. 

[Second hour] 

A slight distraction from Ziggler allowed his team to take control of Erik. Erik dodged a Stinger Splash attempt by Ziggler and made the hot tag to Ivar who ran wild on both opponents. Ziggler caught him with a Fameasser for two, then Ivar gave Ziggler a spinning heel kick. Roode broke up a cover, then Ziggler caught Erik in a small package for two. 

Ziggler and Roode hit a combo Zig-Zag/Spinebuster combo, which would be a nice finisher, but Erik kicked out. The Raiders followed soon after with the Viking Experience for the win. 

We’re back with Aleister Black, who is no longer wearing a shirt. He changed his mind and has decided to go to the ring and wait for someone to pick a fight. 

Still no mention of Rollins or Wyatt or the brand’s top championship title which was defended last night on pay per view. 

Back from a break, the Singh Brothers were dancing in the ring. They wanted to show why they should each be the top pick on Raw and Smackdown, so they called out Black. 

2-on-1 handicap match: Aleister Black defeated The Singh Brothers (1:06) 

Black immediately nailed Samir Singh with a kick, then caught Sunil with a knee strike. Samir tried to fight back so Black killed him with a Black Mask kick. Black then caught Sunil in a modified Dragon Sleeper and he immediately tapped. This was fine. 

Strowman told Caruso he was just trying to have fun when he saw Fury, but Fury had to get all serious. Strowman knew that Fury threw a good punch, but so did he (they aired a replay of him knocking out AJ Styles as he spoke). Strowman said Fury might get an apology if he asked nicely, but if he didn’t, he might get these hands. 

The announcers briefly recapped the past week’s events, showing articles discussing Raw, Total Divas, NXT, and Smackdown, but not Hell in a Cell. They then aired a video recap of the Brock Lesnar, Rey Mysterio and Cain Velasquez angle. 

Mysterio spoke to Caruso and thanked the fans for all their support for Dominick. Mysterio was proud of him. Mysterio knew it was his job to protect his son, but he was beaten so badly, there was nothing he could do when Lesnar attacked him. 

When he sat at Dominick’s bedside, they were visited by Dominick’s godfather, two-time UFC heavyweight champion, the man who defeated Brock Lesnar and the man who Lesnar fears — Cain Velasquez. He said if anyone would avenge their family, it would be Cain. 

There was a new AOP promo. 

Six-man tag match: US Champion AJ Styles, Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson defeated Lucha House Party (9:27) 

Each member of LHP flew off the same turnbuckle in different directions to take out all three OC members, then they cut to break. After the break, Anderson had Lince Dorado in a chinlock. 

Anderson hit a spinebuster for two. Dorado caught Anderson with a high cross, then tagged in Kalisto. Kalisto used a hurricanrana on Styles who flew into the ropes (which was a great-looking bump), then planted him with another hurricanrana. Styles countered a Salida del Sol into a Pelé kick, then followed with a Phenomenal forearm for the pinfall win. 

The OC beat up LHP after the match which concluded with Styles giving Dorado a Styles Clash off the middle rope. (The OC used their stable theme music instead of Styles’.)

They recapped the Becky Lynch/Sasha Banks Hell in a Cell match. Lawler said they stole the show. Still no mention of that other match. 

[Third hour]

MizTV with guests Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair 

Miz introduced each woman, then put over everything Lynch has accomplished over the last year or so. (He didn’t ask her the whereabouts of Rollins.) Lynch said the accomplishments were great, but Banks put her through hell last night. Of course, if Banks were there now, Lynch would remind her that she got her ass kicked by the Man. 

Miz put over Charlotte’s win, and she said it was good to be queen. Miz said they could end up on separate brands, or even the same brand. Miz put them over as the two most dominant women in the company, then Charlotte said he didn’t have to include the word “woman” in there. 

Miz talked about their match tonight against Asuka and Kairi Sane. Lynch admitted to being beaten up, but that didn’t matter, because the last time she fought Asuka, Asuka won, and that was a wrong she wanted to right. 

Charlotte sort of brushed this off, then Lynch said Charlotte was looking rather happy with herself holding the belt she made famous. Charlotte said he made Lynch famous. They faced off while holding their belts in the air when Asuka and Sane interrupted. 

Asuka and Sane cut a promo in Japanese and were rather amused with themselves. They also didn’t seem to think much of Lynch or Charlotte. 

Lynch said she’s been waiting for Asuka and told them to fight right now. Asuka and Sane ran down and they all brawled for a moment until a referee separated them. Lynch and Charlotte took them out with baseball slides and they went to break. 

Women’s Tag Team Champions Asuka & Kairi Sane defeated Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch & SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair in a non-title match (11:27) 

Lynch was being worked over briefly until she tagged in Charlotte, who hit Asuka with a Natural Selection, then took out Asuka and Sane with a moonsault off the top to the outside. Charlotte tried a dive to the outside later but Asuka caught her with a knee. 

After a break, Charlotte gave Sane a suplex then made the tag to Lynch, who hit Sane with strikes and running forearm. Lynch gave Asuka an Exploder then tried a double dropkick, but she only caught Asuka. Sane avoided it and followed with a back elbow. Sane went to the top but Lynch yanked her down and hit a legdrop, but Asuka broke up the cover. 

Charlotte took out Asuka with a boot, then Sane chop-blocked Charlotte. Lynch put Sane in the Disarmer as the referee checked on Charlotte, then Asuka blew green mist in Lynch’s eyes and Sane rolled her up for the pinfall win. 

Charlotte attacked Asuka and Sane after the match but they overwhelmed her. Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross then ran out to attack the tag champs. Cross gave Sane a neckbreaker and Bliss followed with a DDT. 

The announcers hyped up Tyson Fury. 

2 hours and 24 minutes into the show, they finally acknowledged Wyatt vs. Rollins. Apparently, we’ll hear more about it later tonight. 

Caruso interviewed Apollo Crews. He said he’s known Ricochet for a long time and had nothing but respect for him, but with the draft coming, tonight was his showcase. 

Elsewhere, the Viking Raiders said nothing would keep them from their fate and they would become Raw tag champs next week. What if they get drafted to Smackdown? 

Ricochet told Sarah Schrieber that if tonight was his last night on Raw, there’s no one he’d rather share the ring with than Crews, who is one of his best friends. He said the draft was an opportunity for a fresh start and he can prove that superheroes are real. Ricochet spoke way faster than normally here. 

There was a Gears 5 commercial with Batista. 

Ricochet defeated Apollo Crews (3:59) 

They mirrored each others’ move attempts and reversals early on until Crews caught Ricochet with a dropkick. Crews hit a delayed vertical suplex, but Ricochet came back with a springboard forearm and standing shooting star press for two. Crews followed with an enziguri and standing moonsault for two. Ricochet hit a Codebreaker moments later for the pinfall win. 

At 10:43 pm ET, they aired a recap of Rollins vs. Wyatt. Obviously, they edited out any negative crowd reactions. They included a brief shot of Rollins bleeding from the mouth. 

After the video, Fury was shown walking through the back as Vic Joseph said, “I still can’t believe what we witnessed twenty-four hours ago,” to which Lawler responded, “Ah, you’re right” then quickly moved on and talked about Fury without taking a breath. (Fury shook hands with Miz, Cedric Alexander, Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins.) 

So… where’s Rollins at? 

They plugged Roode and Ziggler against the Viking Raiders for the tag titles next week. 

Braun Strowman / Tyson Fury segment 

Lawler was in the ring, which was surrounded by security. He introduced Fury who said he was demanding an apology from Strowman for trying to make him look like a fool. Strowman entered and the crowd chanted “get these hands.” Strowman said he was just having some fun until he saw the look in Fury’s face. 

Strowman said he told security to let Fury go because he’d eat him for lunch. Fury said it was good for Strowman that security grabbed him because otherwise, he would have knocked Strowman out. Strowman said he’d put Fury on his back, like the last time he fought Wilder. Fury said he was the heavyweight champion and asked how many world titles he’s won. 

They dropped the mics and stared each other down. Strowman then grabbed him and drove him into the turnbuckle. They brawled briefly until a million security guys separated them. The crowd chanted “let them fight.” Fury knocked down all the guards in his way and Strowman did the same. 

They fought briefly again until a bunch of low- to mid-card wrestlers ran down to separate them. They broke through a couple of times before being separated again. Fury challenged him to fight right now and Strowman tried to attack again before being held back. Strowman’s music played and he marched up the ramp to the back. 

Caruso was waiting for him the back and asked about Fury. Strowman said Fury was one tough son of a bitch and he would get these hands before it was all said and done. (His delivery of this line was funny.) Strowman eventually ran back out to attack as the other wrestlers tried to intervene and they went off the air. 

This was fine and Fury comes across well, but his stuff in the ring looked rough. 

Final Thoughts — 

You can skip this show and watch the main event segment online. 

Throughout the show and a bit last week, the announcers talked about the draft and the importance of the draft position. But they never explained why it matters when you get drafted or even to which show you end up on.